RECOMMENDING
A LIEUTENANT COLONEL FOR A STATEN ISLAND REGIMENT
CHESTER
A. ARTHUR. Autograph Letter Signed to the Military Committee
of Richmond County, New York [NY], 5 September 1862. 2 separate pages,
9¾” x 7½”, on New York State Quartermaster
General’s Department letterhead.
An
uncommon Civil War-date letter from this future President.
During the early years of the war, Chester Arthur served in New York
State’s militia, rising to become its Quartermaster General and
overseeing the enlistment and preparation of thousands of troops. Here,
while in that post, he recommends an officer to serve as lieutenant
colonel of a regiment being raised in Staten Island.
“Application
having been made to me, by some gentlemen of your committee, through
Capt. Schaffner, to recommend a suitable person as Lieut Col. of the
regiment now being recruited in Richmond County,” Arthur
explains, “Lt: Col: Jas. W. Savage, of this city was named
by me as the best person I knew for such position. He has been in active
service since the commencement of the war in the Dept of the West &
the Shenandoah Valley & is now a Lieut Col. in the U.S. Service
– He is a most thorough & capable officer and an accomplished
& honorable gentleman.
“Col:
Savage has made no application for the position of which I speak,”
Arthur adds, “indeed my recommendation of him was first made
without his knowledge, knowing that he would prefer active service to
his present duty in this city.” He has signed, “C.
A. Arthur / Q M Genl.”
Just
a few months after this, in January 1863, Arthur, a Republican, was
removed from the Quartermaster’s job when the Democrats took control
of New York State. He returned to his private law practice, but remained
active in politics, going on to become Collector of the Port of New
York in the 1870's, Vice-President, and then President upon the death
of James Garfield.
The letter
is in very good condition, written on the rectos only of two separate
sheets of paper. The first page is on letterhead of the New York State
Quartermaster General’s Department which includes a decorative
vignette of a shield and an eagle in the upper left corner. The second
sheet is neatly inlaid. $1500.00
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